Anagallis plant named ‘Wildcat Blue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Anagallis plant named ‘Wildcat Blue’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; numerous single flowers that are blue in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Anagallis monellicultivar ‘Wildcat Blue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAnagallis plant, botanically known as Anagallis monelli, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Wildcat Blue’.

The new Anagallis is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Durham, N.H. The objective of the breeding program isto create new compact Anagallis plants with freely and early floweringhabit.

The new Anagallis originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Mar. 6, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Anagallismonelli identified as code number UNH 9-52-3, not patented, as thefemale, or seed parent, with a proprietary selection of Anagallismonelli identified as code number UNH 9-16-1, not patented, as the male,or pollen parent. The new Anagallis was selected as a single plant fromthe resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in Durham, N.H., on thebasis of its plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince Sep. 21, 2000, taken in Durham, N.H. has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Anagallis are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Wildcat Blue’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wildcat Blue’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Wildcat Blue’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Compact and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching growth habit.

3. Numerous single flowers that are blue in color.

4. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Durham, N.H., plants of the newAnagallis differed from plants of the female parent selection, in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anagallis were not as compact as plants of thefemale parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Anagallis had larger leaves than plants of thefemale parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Anagallis flowered earlier than plants of thefemale parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted at Durham, N.H., plants of the newAnagallis differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anagallis were more compact than and not asvigorous as plants of the male parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Anagallis had obovate-shaped petals whereas plantsof the male parent selection had more rounded petals.

Plants of the new Anagallis can be compared to plants of the Anagalliscultivar Skylover Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Durham, N.H., plants of the new Anagallis differed fromplants of the cultivar Skylover Blue in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anagallis were more compact than and not asvigorous as plants of the cultivar Skylover Blue.

2. Plants of the new Anagallis had shorter internodes than plants of thecultivar Skylover Blue.

3. Plants of the new Anagallis flowered about one week earlier thanplants of the cultivar Skylover Blue.

4. Plants of the new Anagallis had darker blue-colored flowers thanplants of the cultivar Skylover Blue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Anagallis.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof these typical plants of ‘Wildcat Blue’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Wildcat Blue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer under full sunconditions with day temperatures ranging from about 18 to about 35° C.and night temperatures ranging from about 7 to about 18° C. Afterplanting rooted cuttings, plants were grown for about four months in20-cm containers with three plants per container. Color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Anagallis monelli cultivar Wildcat Blue.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Anagallis monelli identified ascode number UNH 9-52-3, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Anagallis monelli identified ascode number UNH 9-16-1, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 24° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 24° C.

Time to develop roots, summer.—About 20 days at 24° C.

Time to develop roots, winter.—About 25 days at 24° C.

Root description.—Fine fibrous; white, close to 155D, in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Form.—Annual flowering plant; compact; initially upright, thensemi-upright to outwardly spreading and trailing; uniformly moundedplant form. Freely branching habit with lateral branches potentiallyforming at very node.

Plant height.—About 23 cm.

Plant diameter (area of spread), single plant.—About 26 cm.

Vigor.—Moderately vigorous to vigorous; rapid growth rate.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 36 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internodelength: About 3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; towards terminals, in whorlsof three or four; simple; sessile. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 8mm. Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Venationpattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 137B. Fully expanded leaves,upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B.Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation, lower surface: 147B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single star-shaped flowers; flowers face mostlyupward or outward; terminal or axillary; freely flowering habit, about12 open flowers and about 18 flower buds per lateral branch at one time.

Natural flowering season.—Plants flower from April to October in theNorthern Hemisphere until frost in the autumn; flowering continuousduring this period. Plants start flowering about six to eight weeksafter planting rooted cuttings. Flowers not persistent.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm. Depth (height): About 8 mm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Ovate.Color: 99A.

Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals arranged in a singlewhorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: 99B. Whenopening, lower surface: 98A. Fully opened, upper surface: 99B to 99C;towards base, 59C. Fully opened, lower surface: 96B.

Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five sepals arranged in a single whorl;star-shaped Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceloate.Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 137C.

Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Angle: About 60to 75° from the main stem, then more upright. Strength: Moderatelystrong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five. Anthershape: Curved; sickle-shaped. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther width:About 1 mm. Anther color: 12A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:12A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stylelength: About 4 mm. Style color: 61C. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigmacolor: 150A. Ovary color: 145C.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Anagallis have not been notedto be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Anagallis.

Garden performance: Plants of the new Anagallis have been observed tohave good garden performance. Plants of the new Anagallis have beennoted to tolerate temperatures from below 0 to 40° C. and have excellenttolerance to rain and wind.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anagallis plantnamed ‘Wildcat Blue’, as illustrated and described.